Free Children's Ministry Curriculum Written by Sheryl Coats
Bugs Bugs and More Bugs
Hillbilly Days
Wonderfair
The Wacky Worship Workshop
The Celebration Medical Centre
The Celebration City Courthouse
Growing in God's Garden
The Armour of God
The Wild Wild West
Welcome to the Celebration Medical Centre.
The set: set up the room like an emergency room.
This week: We will discover that we need to seek Jesus.
To teach the children that:
It sometimes seems to get old to review the rules week after week, but it is very important to do it anyways. Holidays often get the best of kids and the excitement can cause a bit of chaos. It is very important to reinforce the rules and remind the kids of what is expected of them.
Remember to spend time in prayer this week for the children in our service. God is able to do great and powerful things when we seek his face. God has great things in store for us this week. Have you been faithful to seek his anointing and leading? Be prepared to pray with the kids around the alter. This may be the week that a child gives their heart to Jesus.
Characters needed: Three stooge doctors, a patient, and Bobo the puppet.
The crazy doctors are looking for something. One is trying to find it with a stethoscope; listening to everything. Another is trying to find it with a thermometer. The third one is getting frustrated with them for their stupidity. This should resemble a three stooges skit. This should introduce the idea that we all are seeking something and wise men seek God.
You will need a note that says there is a treat waiting for the group in a certain location and wrap it in numerous layers of wrapping paper. Have the children sit in a circle (if you have a large group you might want to have several circles and gifts). Tell the children they will be pretending to be doctors. The patient (the gift) will be passed around the circle. When the leader yells operate, the child holding the gift must remove one of the wrappers and then continue to pass the patient around until the last wrapper is removed.
You will need a large table, a large white sheet, and some way to rig the sheets up so that it is tight between two stable objects. This will be a silhouette operation. Set up the table (which is the operating table) in the front of the room. Find a way to have the sheet drawn tight in front of the table. It is important that the sheet be tight to make a clear silhouette. It should extend about two and a half feet above the table so that the patient is seen only in silhouette form. Rig up a light to shine on the sheet so that a silhouette is created. The doctor is to stand behind the patient (the upper portion of your body and head will be visible to the children) and "operate".. The doctor will be performing a heart operation for a patient who is experiencing heart problems. In his heart the doctor finds objects such as footballs, toys, candy, money, radios, CDs, stuffed animals, etc...any thing that a child might give their time to. The point here is that if we seek to fill our hearts with worldly things we end up with no room for Jesus.
You will need a large refrigerator box with a large heart painted or glued on it. Write the memory verse on index cards. Tape each piece inside the box. Call volunteers to go in and pick a piece of the verse. They are to remain in there until there are no pieces left. (You want it to be very crowded with no room for another child to squeeze in) Ask the last child "you mean there is no room left for you in there? Can't you squeeze in?" Have the kids come out and assemble themselves in the proper order and teach the kids the verse. (This reinforces the previous skit...you need to make sure the first thing you put in your heart is Jesus)
(Bobo is jubilant and excited backstage)
Bobo: (comes up with a new toy that is very breakable.) Look what I got! Why, have you ever seen anything so wonderful. Nothing in the world compares with this fantastic toy.
Leader: Well, it is a nice toy, but I wouldn't say it is the greatest thing ever.
Bobo: What in the world are you talking about?!?!?!?! Are you crazy or something? These are all the rage.
Leader: There are other things that are far greater than your new toy Bobo.
Bobo: EMERGENCY! EMERGENCY! Somebody call a doctor!!! This woman must have a concussion or something.
Leader: Oh Bobo, I do not need a doctor. I am just fine. I just happen to know that there are things that are far greater than a new toy...any new toy.
Bobo: You're bonkers, even bonkier than those crazy doctors that were here this morning.
Leader: Bobo, have you ever heard the story about a baby who was born in a manger nearly 2000 years ago?
Bobo: (sounding excited and happy now) Oh yeah, I know that story. It is the story about Jesus, God's son and how he came to earth as a baby. Oh I just love that story.
Leader: That is right Bobo. God sent his only son to earth to live a sinless life and then die for our sins so we could have a way to be forgiven of our sins.
Bobo: I guess your point here is that this toy doesn't even compare to the gift of Jesus right?
Leader: You catch on pretty quick Bobo. The greatest gift ever given was the gift of God's son.
Bobo: That is a pretty incredible gift. Without it we would not be able to go to heaven. This toy seems pretty pathetic now. I am so embarrassed.
Leader: Christmas is time to remember and celebrate the birth of our saviour.
Bobo: I am so glad you took the boogers off my brain.
Leader: OH Bobo. That is disgusting.
Bobo: Sorry. How about " I am so glad you put my feet on the right road."?
Leader: Much better. Well, Bobo, we need to get back to our lesson. I am glad I helped you out.
Bobo: bye everyone.
You will need a stethoscope. The crazy doctors listen to each others hearts and are going bonkers about someone being inside knocking. The leader can then tell them that what they are hearing is the heart valves opening and closing as the blood flows through the heart. The leader can draw the parallel of the heart valves being like doors. We need to be wise about who we let into our heart just as we would be cautious about who we would let into our homes.
Tell the story of the wise men seeking Jesus and all they must have sacrificed to reach him.
You will need a bowl, rice, and three balls. Begin by asking the kids about something's they enjoy. As they list a few begin pouring rice in the bowl. Next hold up the three balls. Tell the kids these balls represent God. Try putting the ball in the bowl; it won't fit. Now pour the rice out and put God in the bowl. Explain to the kids that when you put God in first you can now put in rice and it will fit. ( the rice and balls should fit in the bowl as long as the balls are put in first) As long as God is first there is still room for all the things we enjoy. God is the most important thing in our lives. He needs to be first. It is easy at Christmas to put other things before God. It is easy to fill our lives with so many other things that we don't have room for God.
What are you seeking?
Copyright 1998, Sheryl Coats
